The library’s soul’

By Michael Kane BANNER EDITOR

Thursday

Sep 30, 2010 at 12:01 AMSep 30, 2010 at 10:28 AM

The tears flowed as freely as the smiles Sunday as library patrons, supporters and staff said goodbye to longtime Assistant Director Paula Peterson at a retirement party in the First Congregational Church.

“What Paula brings is a warm and inviting face when you walk in the door,” Library Trustee Sue Therriault said, reminiscing about her first meeting with Peterson when her family moved to Boylston 19 years ago.

Board of Trustees Chairman Brad Barker said, numerically speaking, the entire population of Boylston uses the library every five weeks. And all of those patrons are greeted by Peterson’s “quick smile, outstanding service and conversation.

“Paula has been the constant that has made the library what it is for so many years,” Barker said. “We’ll miss her, that’s for sure.”

Library Foundation member Sarah Scheinfein, like Therriault and Barker, said Peterson was the first person she met at the library after moving to town. Since then, and over numerous volunteer duties, Peterson was there to keep things organized and to answer questions. Scheinfein likened the staff of a library to its soul.

“The physical building is just that – beautiful stonework with a lot of character. But the people are the soul,” she said. “It’s hard to imagine having the soul of our beloved library change.”

Director Nick Langhart said Peterson has trained five directors and six children’s librarians.

“The thing I think I found the most remarkable as I looked over the records is that Paula really made this job,” Langhart said.

Starting in 1976 as a 10-hour, minimum wage clerk, Peterson took on any responsibility that needed handling, “because that’s what Paula does,” Langhart said.

As she took on more responsibility, more hours were added to her work week and several reclassifications were requested by directors, from director of adult services to, eventually, assistant director.

Peterson has also kept the library up-to-date with the latest technology, through phases which have included video cassettes, DVDs, books on tape, video games and the latest trend, Playaways, books on MP3 players.

“Through hard work and conscientious concern, Paula made the job of assistant director and it has been a benefit to all of us,” Langhart said.

The desk work – including managing adult services and purchasing – are expected roles, Langhart noted. But Peterson has always had an understanding for the community’s needs, Langhart said. She brings materials to people who cannot get out of their home and knows the personality of the patrons well enough to make accurate reading suggestions.

“Her little touches of sensitivity are what has endeared her to our public and that is going to be very hard to replace,” Langhart said. “Patrons are already talking about what is going to happen when Paula is gone.”

In that regard, the gifts chosen for Peterson all had a personal touch, from a charm bracelet that represented family and work, to artwork of her grandsons and a collage and painting put together by local artist Cheryl Clinton that featured many of the items Peterson would have seen every day at her job, like library cards, photo transfers of the birds in the library case, and memos, matched with her own likes and dislikes, like images of books about knitting and cooking.

Langhart read from a 1988 letter written by former a former library trustee, requesting Peterson’s position be upgraded, and praising her as an “integral part of the library,” and “always cheerful and ready to assist.”

“Twenty years later, she is still giving unselfishly,” Langhart said.

“Paula has always been the friendly face when you enter the library,” Langhart said. “Her consistently pleasant attitude is the thing I just don’t know how I’m going to replace.”

Peterson had a ready explanation for the “consistently friendly attitude” mentioned by speaker after speaker: The patrons.

“The people in this town made my job. The people in this town made me react to them the way I have,” Peterson said. “Everybody who has come in has been so nice and so wonderful to work with.

“They have really made my job enjoyable,” she said.

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